


First Date

by escherlat



Series: Stepping Stones [1]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Maxine "Max" Caulfield Still Has Powers, No Storm in Arcadia Bay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 15:26:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20491046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/escherlat/pseuds/escherlat
Summary: In the weeks since Max kissed Chloe on a dare, their relationship hasn't moved beyond friendship. Finally, Max decides she can’t live with the uncertainty of “are we friends? are we more?” and asks Chloe on a date.





	First Date

**Author's Note:**

> Content warning: They discuss child abuse.

_Everything has to be perfect!_

For the hundredth time, Max reviewed her plans. She opened her backpack and checked and double-checked everything was where it was supposed to be. Even after that, uncertainty filled her. Today was for Chloe, and she wanted her to have a great time on their first date.

After the midnight swim at the school and the dare kiss the next morning, the two had looked at each other differently; their behavior had also changed. Max had expected Chloe to make a move or do something in the following weeks, since she was the bolder one. And more than once it seemed Chloe would make a move or ask her out. But each time, Chloe interrupted herself and changed the subject.

Finally, Max decided she needed to take charge. She didn’t know what held Chloe back, but she was not content to sit and wait. So, she’d made a plan, checked it 3000 times, and asked Chloe out. Well… she hadn’t actually asked her out. It was more like “Hey, Chloe, school’s driving me crazy. On the next school in-service day, can we do something?” Of course, Chloe said yes.

Max checked herself in the mirror. It took everything she had not to change her clothes or adopt one of her anxious habits as she studied her appearance. Drastic situations required drastic measures.

Rachel Amber likely was at the root of Chloe’s hesitation. The name and memory still shot a little pang of jealousy through her. _Now Max, don’t be so shallow. Rachel was there when you weren’t! Be glad she was there to help Chloe through her dark period._ She adjusted her bangs again.

In the last few weeks, her hair had grown long enough for her to have a little ponytail. With the uncharacteristic heat the area had these past few weeks, she was glad to get the hair off her neck. She double-checked the ponytail to make sure it wasn’t coming out of its ties.

A knock sounded at the door, and she froze. _This is it! She’s here!_ The blood drained from her face, and it was so hard to breathe! Her heart hammered in her chest, trying to escape its confines. _Breathe, Max! Find your center!_

She closed her eyes and focused on herself, where each part of her was. Her toes wiggled in her sandals; the cool breeze from the AC flowed over the small hairs on her arms. Heat rose from the back of her neck. These were things she chose to feel; things that she was. Once her sense of self and centeredness were established, she took one more breath.

The knock came again, this time with a “Hey, Super Max! You gonna open up or do I need to blow this door down?” There was a playful lilt to Chloe’s threat which which brought a smile to her face. Chloe was in a good mood.

Max stepped to the door, thought _here goes nothing_ and opened it. Chloe was looking down the hall. “Heya Max,” she said and turned her head to face Max, “where we fuuuuuuu-” Chloe’s mouth fell open, and her eyes widened when she saw Max in her outfit.

Comfortable sandals at the end of her smooth legs, cutoff jean shorts, ripped t-shirt, with a dreamcatcher necklace tying it all together. No, scratch that. It was Max’s adorably cute ponytail that tied it all together.

It took Chloe several moments to remember how to breathe, let alone engage her mind. Her eyes traveled up and down her shy hipster friend, in awe at her transformation.

“Do you… like it,” Max asked. It took everything she had to keep a smile on her face. Even then, a little hesitation crept into her voice. Heat started creeping up her neck to her cheeks and ears. _It’s too much! She doesn’t like it!_

Chloe picked her mouth up off the floor and swallowed hard. It took several attempts before she could get words to form. “You’re hella cute,” she croaked and cringed inwardly. _Way to go Price! All you can say is cute?_

No matter what she thought of her words, they had a good effect on Max. The awkward smile turned into a genuine smile of pleasure. _Damn! I could lose myself in that smile!_

“So, uh,” Chloe said after licking her lips. She felt overdressed in her jeans and t-shirt. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,” Max said impishly. She hoisted a heavy pack onto her back, staggering as it shifted her.

“Let me get that for you!”

“No, I got it.” Max closed her dorm room door, and Chloe could swear she heard something in the pack clink, a sound that reminded her of glass.

Max held out her hands. “Keys please.”

Chloe looked at the open hand and balked. “Ain’t no way I’m letting you drive my truck! Do you even have a license?”

“That never stopped you,” Max retorted with a grin. “Besides, I can’t surprise you if you’re driving!”

With a groan, Chloe fished the keys from her pocket and dumped them on the waiting palm. “Not one scratch, you hear!”

Max laughed, and Chloe’s heart fluttered. _What the shit! Don’t get all mushy on me heart!_

“How would you tell if I scratched your baby?”

Without waiting for an answer, Max turned and headed toward the stairs. Chloe ran after her. “I would know! I know every scratch, dent, and ding on her!”

“Sure, you do!” Max held open the stairwell door with a smile. Chloe stuck out her tongue at her as she passed. _Wonder how skilled she is with that? _Max raised her eyebrows at the random thought. _Where did that come from?_

They left the dorm behind and trudged to the parking lot. Chloe tried again to get Max to divulge her plans. “Nope,” Max said each time. “Only way to find out is to be there!”

Chloe climbed into the passenger seat. Her hand immediately went over her left shoulder to grab the seat belt. Chagrined, she switched to her right side.

“Before we go,” Max said as she pulled something from the large pack which rested between them on the bench seat. Chloe didn’t like that because it meant she couldn’t get to her, and she’d already started devising plans on their walk from the dorm. Max held up a piece of black cloth. “You need to cover your eyes.”

“Shit no! Dude, no way am I wearing a blindfold. That’s not my kink!”

“Not your kink?” Max wriggled her eyebrows as she teased her friend. “What if it’s mine?” Max gasped at her words, and Chloe’s mouth fell open for the second time. “Ur, uh. It’s not my kink,” Max muttered. Damn, her face was on fire!

“Well, if it’s your kink,” Chloe said with a broad grin and grabbed the blindfold. The last thing she saw was Max with a profoundly red face trying hard not to look at her.

Once the blindfold was in place, Max tested it. She didn’t want her surprise ruined, though she suspected Chloe would figure it out before they arrived. It was hard to surprise her astute friend. Inserting the key in the ignition, she started the truck, and they left the school behind.

Max drove and drove. She avoided all conversation and instead turned on the radio and blasted some of Chloe’s music. She had been exposed to a lot of different music in the past few weeks and some songs she’d grown to like, especially the RiotGrrl stuff.

The turn was ahead, and Max began slowing the truck. They left the smooth highway behind and started bouncing down a dirt road through the trees. “Wait! Fuck, are we going to Jones’ beach,” Chloe asked.

Driving down the bumpy road took all of Max’s concentration, and she didn’t answer. Chloe was right; she didn’t have a driver’s license. Though she had some experience driving, it was all in parking lots and on well-maintained roads. The dirt road was a new experience.

A mile or two from the highway, the trees widened into a bright open area. Max slowed the truck, turned it, and backed up as close as she dared. When done, she turned off the truck and leaned her head against the steering wheel. Her heart was pounding again, and her hands hurt from their tight grip on the steering wheel. She hadn’t noticed that while driving.

“Shit yeah! We’re at Jones’ beach!” Chloe had torn off the blindfold and was staring out the windows. “And it looks like we have it all to ourselves!”

Jone’s beach was a local recreation spot well outside Arcadia Bay. Here the river was wide, and the near bank was clear of trees. It had a shallow incline from the road, easily allowing cars to turn off and park. The opposite bank was steep and heavily wooded.

The beach wasn’t sandy. Rather it was made of a lot of large, flat stones. Some were stacked on top of each other in a step like fashion. Many of the stones were larger than the truck and made for excellent places to sit or lay down. On sunny days, like today, they were warm and inviting.

Upriver, the banks climbed again to cliffs ten to twenty feet in height. A zip line stretched across the gap. A popular activity was taking the zip line across the gap and dropping into the deep part of the river. Between the cliffs the river ran fast and hard, sweeping swimmers downstream to the beach. Here the river was wider and flowed slowly. Near the far bank the river was deep enough for swimming.

Grabbing the pack with both hands, Max got out of the truck. Chloe was already out and looking around. Max admired her friend from behind. _I hope after today I know whether we’re just friends or something more._ That mystery had bugged her for weeks.

Trudging to one of the bigger stones, Max set the pack down. From it she pulled a large blanket that she spread on the rock. A softer place to sit was welcome. _Or lay down._ Max hid her gasp and was glad Chloe didn’t see the red that rose in her cheeks at the thought.

The decisiveness Max had adopted weeks ago had other influences on her, such as being more assertive and forward. Well, at least with Chloe. And if you considered “can we do something on the next in-service day” as being forward. It was more than she’d done before and she allowed herself some satisfaction in that.

Once the blanket was positioned the way she wanted it, Max sealed the pack and stood. “What do you want to do first,” Max asked.

“What are our options?” Chloe took the opportunity to appreciate how Max looked in the filtered light. _Damn, glad it’s hot! I can blame this sweat on that instead of… _She turned her face away before she did or said something stupid.

“Well,” Max said slowly. “I figured today would be about you.” She stepped closer to Chloe. Her words caused her blue-haired friend to look at her. “I want to do the things you like.” Another step. “And I come prepared.” Another step. There was a slight flush on Chloe’s neck.

Swallowing hard as her freckle-faced friend drew close, Chloe asked, “Prepared to do what?” Max had a force to her she didn’t remember. It was pulling at her and stirring things inside.

“I have things of an explosive nature.” She could feel Max’s breath from her words; she was that close! Chloe took a step back. “And your favorite drinks.” Max stepped closer. “And maybe some other things.”

Chloe had to get away from her! Her guts were churning, and her body was rebelling. Turning, she hurried to the other side of the truck. She needed air! Once out of sight, she leaned over, put her hands on her knees, and took deep breaths.

Within a moment or two, there was a hand on her shoulder. “Chloe?” There was no judgment in the way Max said her name. Once her head stopped spinning, Chloe stood and looked at her friend. “Or we could sit and talk?”

_Why am I the one being chickenshit now?_

There were hope and warmth and more in Max’s eyes. _Why did she bring me here? We haven’t been here since we were little kids._ But she knew why Max brought them here. So many times, she thought Max would do or say something that would move them beyond “just friends.”

When she’d dared Max to kiss her, she’d been hella surprised when she took the dare. Sure, they’d had a midnight swim and gone googly-eyed over each other in the dim light. That could be explained away as stress and tiredness. The dare, Max had eagerly accepted. That wasn’t surprise or stress. There was no way to dismiss that one.

She was scared. _William. Max. Rachel._ Three people she’d cared about, loved even, gone. Of the three, Max had come back to her, but for how long? How long until they drifted apart? How long until Max left her behind for University or other things. She was a dropout nobody.

“Shit on talking,” Chloe croaked. “Let’s blow things up!”

Max smiled, but it was weak. The uncertainty behind it bled through. Chloe averted her eyes. “Where’re the boom booms?”

Chloe was keeping herself locked away, Max was certain of that. She smiled at her friend to mask the uncertainty she felt.Maybe this was a mistake? Had she read Chloe wrong these last few weeks? But no, that was the friend she remembered from long ago. What was it Chloe had said to her on the drive to her house? _“_Five years later and you’re still Max Caulfield.” And Chloe was still Chloe Price.

“Over here,” Max said and returned to her pack. She unzipped the large front pocket and pulled out several packages of the exploding variety.

“Damn,” Chloe said and whistled. “Where did you get these? You have some dangerous ones in there.”

With a wince that pretended to be a shrug, Max said, “I may have had a bit of help.” She couldn’t meet Chloe’s piercing gaze.

“Help? Fuck, you went to Frank!”

All the anxiety she’d been holding at bay came flooding in. Her sandalled foot scuffed the ground. A package tumbled to the ground as her hand hugged her other arm.

Chloe was in her space then, looking at her. Max lifted her eyes to look at her. It was hard to read everything on Chloe’s face, but she got pleasing vibes from her.

“My girl that made me a pirate CD with legitimate songs… broke the law!”

The way Chloe said ‘my girl’ made Max’s heart flutter. Biting her lips, she nodded her head.

“Hell yeah,” Chloe shouted and pumped her fist. “I am a good, bad influence on you! Now, hand over the goods and let’s get this going!” Max handed her the package she still had and leaned down to pick up the other.

Chloe’s eyes wandered over Max as she bent over. _Cool your jets, Price! You keep doing things like that, and you’ll get all mushy and might actually talk._

By the time Max stood, Chloe was looking elsewhere. “Let’s go up there.” Chloe pointed at one of the cliffs. She didn’t wait for an answer but immediately headed in that direction.

Max slipped the other packages into her pack and followed Chloe at a distance. Her eyes couldn’t stop admiring her friend: the way she walked with such confidence, the fearlessness and take-charge attitude she readily adopted.

All that to disguise the scared person inside. _How do I get through to her? How do I help her move beyond that fear?_

Both were hot and sweaty and short of breath by the time they were on top of the cliff. The path was clear and easy to follow, but it was steep and windy. Chloe stood near the cliff’s edge, breathing loudly as she tried to catch her breath. She felt Max stand next to her, and her heart leaped. _Stupid traitorous heart!_

With her small pocket knife, Chloe opened the package and pulled out one of the small, colorful cardboard cylinders. Trading her knife for her lighter, she handed the package to Max. “Stand back now,” she warned as she flicked a flame into life. The fuse caught immediately.

She let it burn a second or two, then chucked it into the air. The cylinder flew in a high arc over the river. Near its apex, it exploded with a loud noise and smoke. Chloe laughed and shouted. “Another!”

“Wow,” Max exclaimed. “That’s a lot louder than I expected!” She handed another cylinder to Chloe with a nervous smile on her face.

Cylinder after cylinder flew into the air, exploding the same way. Chloe tossed some against the opposite cliff face to blast away small chunks of earth. They built small piles of things to blow up. Chloe was amped and growing reckless.

Being out here, where they could do what they wanted without step-ass to stick his mustache where it didn’t belong was liberating! A couple of times she wrote one of his or Wells’ quotes on the cylinder before lighting it. Watching their ‘advice’ be blown to smithereens was awesome!

“Another one,” Chloe shouted as a big rock popped out of the opposite cliff to fall into the stream.

“That was the last one,” Max said. Her grin held though she was worried about what was happening. Maybe the fireworks weren’t the best idea.

“Damn.” Chloe slipped her lighter back into her pocket and surveyed their destruction. In reality, there wasn’t much. A few rocks and dirt clods had blown free of the other cliff. The stone they stood on had a few burn marks. Not enough to cause real damage.

The psychological effects were more dramatic. Max had definitely changed if she volunteered to do something like this. _She’s doing it for you._ Chloe pushed that thought aside.

“Are you having fun?”

Chloe nodded. “Hella fun,” she said.

“I’m thirsty. What about you?”

Chloe peered at Max but couldn’t read her friend’s expression. “Yeah, it’s hot, I’m hot, and a drink would be awesome right now.” Was she mistaken, or did Max smile a little at the “I’m hot” comment?

Max led the way down the cliff, and again Chloe couldn’t keep her eyes off her. She wondered what possessed Max to dress that way, so uncharacteristically. _Wait! She did say today would be about me!_ _Does that mean… Max is wondering?_

From the large central pocket of the pack, Max pulled several glass containers. _So it was glass I heard clinking!_

Beer. It was beer and some other drink. “I never thought of you as a rum and coke girl,” Chloe said once she could read the other containers.

Max shrugged. “Beer is too bitter, and wine still doesn’t agree with me. Besides, a pirate always sticks to her true drink.” That brought a smile to both of them. Max held a brown bottle out to her.

With reluctance, Chloe accepted it. “Illegal fireworks. Underage drinking. Your parents would hate to see the wrong path I’m leading you down.”

“Who says you’re leading,” Max said as she made herself her drink.

“Damn. You’re hot today!” _Uh… I think I just hit on her._

If that’s what she did, Max didn’t appear to notice. A moment later, drink in hand, she stepped to the edge of the stone and slipped off her sandals. She sat on the edge, her feet dangling in the slow-moving water below. Like the air, it was warmer than usual for this time of year.

Max sipped her drink while she thought about how she could get through to Chloe. The blanket beneath her shifted as Chloe sat next to her. She had removed her boots and socks and rolled up her pant legs before dipping them into the water.

They sat in silence, enjoying their drinks, and the sounds of nature. The water provided a pleasing background to the cries of birds and other forest creatures. Mostly squirrels or chipmunks, though occasionally they heard the grunt of a deer.

_How do I talk to her without starting with, “we need to talk”?_

“How are you doing?” Max finally asked.

“Hella cool,” Chloe answered as she tipped the bottle back.

_Well, that didn’t work._

Chloe grabbed another beer and popped off the cap. Within moments it was half gone. Being here alone with Max, a Max that broke the law! Was doing something to her and she was trying to resist. _Then why are you drinking?_

Max flicked a small twig, watching it tumble from the ledge into the river. There the currents sent it slowly spinning away. “I don’t want to replace her,” she whispered.

“What?”

“Rachel… I don’t want to replace her.”

“Why… fuck, Max, why would you say that?”

“Because I’m trying to figure out what’s going on between us and I’m fucking frustrated!” Max surprised herself with how hot her words were. She looked at her cup, realizing she’d chugged all of her drink. Her head felt rather light and a bit disconnected. Good thing she only put a little alcohol in it!

“What do you mean… what’s going on between us?”

_What?!_

“Ever since we went for that midnight swim and you dared me to kiss you, there’s been like this… I don’t know… invisible thing between us. It pulls us together, but we never talk about it.”

“Maybe I don’t want to talk about it.” Chloe glared at her empty bottle and debated going back for a third one.

“Maybe I do.” Max paused and worked on controlling her emotions. She hadn’t wanted to get into an argument. They so quickly spiraled out of control. “Listen… I’m sorry, Chloe. I thought maybe there was something… more between us. More than being childhood friends. I guess I was mistaken. I’m sorry.”

Max was careful to keep her voice neutral and non-judgmental, which was insanely hard. She wanted to lay into Chloe right now, but she held herself back. Chloe didn’t need that. More than anything, Chloe needed a friend who saw her as a person. Not a problem to be solved.

“Would you like to talk about her?”

Chloe looked at her, feet swinging in the water below. Max wasn’t looking at her, but at the empty cup in her hand. _How much did she drink? Has she done this before?_ A sharp concern for Max’s safety around the water ran through her.

“Who? Rachel?”

Max nodded.

“What’s to tell?”

Now Max looked at Chloe, and something smoldered in her eyes. Chloe raised a hand as if to ward her off. “Look, I’m sorry,” she said, “Rachel and I went through hell together, then we drifted apart. I’m not… you know me, Max, I’m not one to talk about mushy stuff.”

Max turned and sat cross-legged. It was all Chloe could do to keep her eyes on her face. “I’m not asking you to talk about mushy stuff. Tell me about the hell you went through together. When I saw that picture of the two of you, you said she was your angel. Tell me about that.” She paused and looked away.

_What if I’m wrong? What if there really isn’t more something between us? Is friendship enough?_

“We were best friends, Chloe. I want to be that again.”

“We’re still best friends, Max. You and Rachel have-had- shit, I don’t know what the word is. You’re… you have many things in common. One of which is neither of you give up on me. Nor do you let up even when you have me backed into a corner.”

Chloe reached into her pocket and pulled out her pack. Right now, she needed this. After a moment, she offered a cigarette to Max, who politely declined. Returning the pack to her pocket, she pulled out her lighter.

Out of habit she did one of her zippo tricks that always impressed Rachel. The sinking sensation inside was so strong she thought it would take everything with it. Only with maximum effort did she hide the tremor that came over her as she lit up and slid the lighter back into her pocket. She lay back, her feet dangling off the ledge. She took a long drag, then slowly blew the smoke into the air.

“Rachel was amazing. A lot of people gave us shit, you know? Because she was the hot, popular girl from a rich family, and I was the loser punk with authority problems. A lot of people found Rachel manipulative and thought she was using me. Like maybe I was some social experiment of hers.

“But those people… they’re the shallow ones, you know? There was so much depth and stuff below the surface. She refused to let me burn out on life, wouldn’t let me get stuck fighting useless battles. Always told me to attack the things that mattered, not just what hurts right now.”

Max lay next to Chloe, staring into the cerulean sky above. Cigarette smoke coiled into the air, blue-grey curls and designs wafting in the gentle breeze. She listened to Chloe speak about a part of her life she’d missed.

In her mind, she brought to life the picture Chloe painted of her life with Rachel. Two punks against the world, supporting each other and not giving a damn what others thought. And here she was, a plain jane that had a hard time standing up to anyone.

Only that wasn’t true anymore, and she knew it.

Max wrenched her mind away from thinking about herself and returned it to listening to Chloe. At one point, she rolled onto her side. Chloe had one hand under her head, the other holding the cigarette. Her eyes were on the sky, lost in the memories she shared. And a tear trickled down the side of her face.

Before Chloe could react, Max reached out and wiped the tear away. “It’s ok to cry and have these feelings,” she whispered when Chloe turned from her. “You… you love her, and you hurt.”

But Chloe kept her back to her, and Max didn’t know what to do. Yes she was more assertive and forward now. That didn’t mean she suddenly had answers. And there was no way in hell she was going to make mistakes here and rewind until she got it right!

“What do you need? How can I help you right now?”

Chloe looked into the distance beyond the blanket, beyond the truck. Somewhere out there was an Arcadia Bay where Rachel was alive and the two of them were living free. If she asked Max, would she do one of those photo-jump thingys and save Rachel?

She rolled over and looked at her friend through bleary eyes. The dappled sunlight played across her freckled face in a disarming way. Max had dressed for her. Had planned this day for her. Without asking she’d tried to save William. If she asked, she knew Max would try to save Rachel.

And put herself through hell for it. Like had happened when she tried to save William. If she asked Max… was now the right time to ask? What would that do to this thing they were exploring? She needed the right time and place to discuss this.

“A friend to listen,” she finally said in response to Max’s question. She stubbed out her cigarrette and put the remains somewhere safe. “Thanks.”

Max smiled. “Whenever you feel the need to talk, I’m here,” she said. She tossed her cup onto her pack and stood. Walking to the far edge of the stone, she stopped. Walking right now was weird. Her head was light and wanted to float away.

There was an easy way into the water here. “How about a little daylight swim?” she asked. Her voice was warm and filled with notes that hinted at more.

Chloe looked at her with tilted head. Her fingers played with the empty bottle next to her. “Sure,” she said, “a little splish-splash.” She didn’t move though.

Biting her lip, Max turned to face the slow moving water. She pulled off her t-shirt and stepped out of her cutoffs. A soft gasp and a low whistle sounded behind her as her shorts dropped to her ankles. This part embarrassed her the most and her face was already burning. It wasn’t only her outer clothes that were different.

Her bra and panties leaned more towards femininity, with soft designs and lace. And red. Bright, bold red. She usually balked at things like that, preferring practical items, like a sports bra and cotton briefs.

But today, today she wanted something different. So, even though they drew focus to her body and its inadequacies, at least what she thought were deficiencies, she had purchased these and worn them. It was hard putting them on, the echoes of insults and whispers from boys and girls at her school in Seattle tainting her mind. Worse were the ones people said to her face. Those things hurt. They stayed in her mind to taunt her, mocking her every time she glimpsed herself.

Harder still was letting someone see, even someone as close to her as Chloe. When her cutoffs fell to the ground she expected a jibe, an insult, a cutting comment. She bit her lip and kept her eyes focused on the far shore as she took off her shirt.

Keeping her front facing away from Chloe, she pulled the tie from her pony tail and shook her hair free. She tossed it onto the blanket, then stepped into the water. It was cool against her as it rose to mid-thigh. With an arm across her chest, and the other hand over her crotch, she waded in Chloe’s direction.

“Coming in,” she asked when she stopped in front of Chloe.

“Why are you dressed like that?”

Frustration rose in her at the question. She let her arms drop, hands curled into fists. “Because I’m trying to get your attention!” Her words came out a little heated and she closed her eyes.

“You always have my attention, Max. You don’t need clothes like this to do that. You’re fucking hot being yourself!”

“How do I know,” Max said, more calmly and with eyes open, “when you never tell me and apparently you don’t want to talk about it.”

Chloe hung her head, hiding her eyes from Max. Her own anger had flared at Max’s words, but she held it back. Her hands fiddled on the bottle until she placed it behind her. “I’m scared,” she whispered.

“So am I.”

Chloe shook her head. “No… I’m scared… scared that I’ll let you in… no, that’s not right. You’ve always been ‘in.’” She raised her head and looked at Max.

Max caught her breath at the look of fear on Chloe’s face. Her hand reached out and touched Chloe’s. She started to pull the hand away, but stopped and let it remain.

“What are you scared of,” Max prompted breathlessly.

“That you’ll go away again.”

She had prepared for a lot of scenarios, but Max hadn’t prepared for this one. Her heart started hammering and breathing became difficult as she realized she didn’t have the right words. Her mind was sluggish, refusing to tell her mouth what to say!

“I… uh… why would I go away again?”

Chloe snorted. “Seriously? Look at you! Your photos are fucking amazing! You do things with a single shot Polaroid that people can’t do with thousands of shots on a digital camera. You’re destined for greatness! Once you’re done with Blackwell, you’ll go off to college or University. After that, you’ll get noticed and your photos will win awards, maybe even change the world.

“And here I am, a two-time high school drop out. No skills. No talent. No job. Nothing. Just the punch dummy for a two-bit wannabe cop.”

_Think Max! Think!_ A memory came to her then, one brought to life by a swing in a backyard. A memory for calm moments.

She looked into Chloe’s eyes clouded by self-doubt and other negative things.

“How can I do those things without my bodyguard? Without my side kick?” Chloe snorted at those words, but Max ignored her. “Do you know why I’m so good at photography? It’s not because of some hidden talent or skill… it’s because of you!

“You, Chloe! You cheered me on whenever I doubted my ability. You encouraged me to pursue it. When I was a kid, you were the one to tell me my photos would be in an art gallery some day, not my parents. You.

“When I was taken away to Seattle, I stopped taking pictures for a long time. Because taking pictures reminded me of you, and that hurt! Then, when I started again, I did it was because it reminded me of you.

“I’ve thought a lot about this. I don’t want to do those things anymore without you. If you’re willing, I want you there with me. We’ll figure out a way to make that happen.”

“What if we’re just friends?”

“If there’s one thing that week in October taught me, it’s that you are more important to me than my photography. I want you with me, even if we’re just friends. I’ve thought this way for a long time… I… let my anxiety and nervousness rule me and keep me away from you for too long and it hurt you. I hurt you so much. I don’t want to hurt you any more. I want to be with my partner in time.”

“Well, you’re definitely showing yourself to be my partner in crime.” Chloe had a bright smile on her face, quite opposite the sad look of a few moments ago.

The good feeling Max’s words sparked had flooded through her despite her attempts to hold onto the sad feelings. She looked at Max, with her light dusting of freckles, hair rumpled from the tie, and the way the bra and panties accentuated her small figure. And she decided to take a risk. That’s what she liked to do anyways, right?

With a swift movement, her shirt was off. The three bullets hung between her breasts, shining bright against her black sports bra. She undid her belt, unsnapped her jeans and pulled down the zipper. Leaning back on her hands, she raised her hips into the air.

“Pull down my pants,” she whispered. A little heat flared in her core as she said those words and watched the red creep into Max’s face. Damn but she was so cute when she was embarrassed!

“W-why?” Max stammered.

“So we can go swimming, silly.”

Max looked at the open jeans, the cloth of Chloe’s underwear peeking through the V. “Come on, Max, don’t leave me hanging!”

Reaching up, Max grabbed either side of the jeans, doubly sure it was only the jeans she grabbed, and pulled. They peeled down, revealing the men’s boxers Chloe wore underneath.

Chloe sat on the blanket and pulled her feet from the jeans. Max’s face was so red it looked like she was sunburned. She tossed the pants to the side and stood. “Prepare yourself,” she said as she leaped into the water.

Max shrieked and turned as water sprayed her. She quickly recovered and sent a spray of water Chloe’s way. A moment later the river churned white as they rapidly splashed water at each other. That lasted until Chloe dove at her.

With a laugh, Max spun away and sprinted, well trudged, through the water. “No fair if you’re rewinding,” Chloe called as she chased her.

Before Max could respond, hands fastened on her waist. She shrieked and spun to break free. The hands followed and Max stumbled. They fell into the water, hands and feet going everywhere. Both laughed as they went down.

They came up in each other’s arms, bright smiles shining through the water and hair streaming down their faces. Chloe looked at Max, a friend who’d known her since childhood. A person who knew things about her even Rachel didn’t. _Why was I scared? She was thirteen when she left. She didn’t go because she wanted to! We were both kids and made mistakes because we were kids._

Chloe came closer to her and the flutter from earlier returned to Max.

Chloe reached for her, when suddenly Max was several feet away. “Cheater,” she cried. “Illegal use of powers!” She charged through the water toward the laughing brown haired girl.

“What can I say,” Max called back, “you’re a good bad influence on-aah!” Max shrieked and ran away as Chloe tore through the water toward her.

She couldn’t escape though, not without using her power. Chloe had longer legs and was better in the water than she. She used her power once more as she felt fingers brush her shoulder. A growl sounded behind her as she used her time freeze to move several feet away. Then she resolved not to use it again. They had to have a little fun.

Hands caught her and held on. Max found herself spun around and slung over Chloe’s shoulder. “Put me down,” she shouted, lightly beating at her back. She had to admit, this gave her a different view of her friend. The way the boxers clung to Chloe’s ass was most appealing.

Her fingers found Chloe’s sides and began a tickle attack. Beneath her, Chloe started squirming, laughing, and yelling at her to stop. They soon tumbled into the water with a great splash. Both came up spluttering and laughing.

Max turned and ran, but was soon caught. Chloe had her by the wrists and leaned in with a mischievous grin. “What are you going to do now, my little otter?”

The nearness of Chloe, the hands on her wrists, brought back something, a memory she’d buried. Or at least she thought was buried. A shudder ran through Max and she tried to turn away. A franticness laid hold of her and she jerked her hands free with a cry. “Stay away from me!” Her chest was tight, making it hard to breathe. Her feet stumbled, sending her into the water. She scrambled and scurried, trying to get far away. Away from him.

“Max?”

Chloe’s voice cut through the chaos in her mind. She found herself on hands and knees at the edge of a sandbar. Her breath came in gasps, measured by the pounding in her ears. Slowly, the sand and rocks below her came into view. To her left, in the corner of her vision she saw a pair of wet boxers.

A hand touched her shoulder and she flinched before looking up. Chloe sat on the sandbar. With a groan, Max fell on her side, then rolled over. Her mind stilled conjured that horrible memory, but its strength faded the longer she lay here.

Once her breathing and heart evened out, she pushed herself into a sitting position. Her back was to Chloe, not able to bear looking at anyone right now.

“Do you want to talk about it,” Chloe asked softly.

Max shook her head, then said, “No, but… I should.”

There came the sounds of rocks and sand shifting, then Chloe sat next to her. Their legs extended into the water, disturbing the slow current around this part of the bar.

They sat in silence a long time. Around them the forest gradually came back to life. Against the constant gurgle of the water the sounds of animal movements and calls made for a relaxing experience. Max lay back and closed her eyes. A moment later she felt Chloe do the same.

How long they lay in the warm sunlight, listening to the forest was unknown. Some time during the tranquility, fingers found each other and held on.

“The first time David hit me,” Chloe whispered, “I didn’t know what to do. I was so shocked and scared that I froze. I told my mom, even had the bruise to prove it, but she told me to stop provoking him. As if it was my fault.

“It wasn’t until Rachel and I became friends that I had someone to talk to about it. It’s happened more than once since and each time… well, you saw how I was. I just froze and let it happen.”

She turned on her side to look at her friend. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. You aren’t alone in whatever you’re feeling. And it’s not your fault. I know what it’s like to feel powerless, trapped in someone else’s power.

“Because of all the rewinds, I know I’m the only one who knows you were under his power too. It wasn’t your fault, Max. None of it was your fault.”

Max stared at the sky as Chloe spoke. The words seemed to come from a great distance. She’d tried so hard to push that away, to focus on Chloe and what she needed.

“She wasn’t perfect either, Max.”

That got her attention.She turned her head to look at Chloe. “What?”

“Rachel wasn’t perfect. She had an overpowering personality that made her seem larger than life, which led to people thinking she was perfect. But she wasn’t.” Chloe scooted a little closer. “It took a while for her to open up. Once she did… we were there for each other.”

Chloe’s fingers brushed the tears from Max's eyes, flicking them into the sand. “You’ve supported me in the past few weeks and shown me love that I don’t deserve, Max. I…” She swallowed hard and looked away. _Why is this so fucking hard!_

“I want to support you in the same way,” she finally choked out. “You deserve it also.”

Chloe moved to turn away, but Max caught her hand. They looked at each other in silence a while before Max said, “Thanks.” And gave her a weak smile.

“Can we… lay here for a while? It’s warm and… peaceful.”

Chloe nodded, wiped her nose quickly, and resumed her prone position looking at the sky. Max had claimed her hand again and she decided it felt good.

Clouds drifted across the opening in the trees. The sun moved around the opening, instead of crossing it. Insects buzzed above them, flitting to the water, their skin, into the air and beyond.

“That week, I watched you die more times than I can count.” Max's words floated free on the warm air currents. “The worst was… when… HE shot you. He shot you and drugged me so I couldn’t rewind. Then he took me away. No matter how many times you died, it was like a dagger in my heart. There are nights I wake up in a panic, covered in sweat, because I had a nightmare about one of your deaths.”

“Shit! You… why…” Chloe bit her tongue. There were so many things she wanted to say to that. But they seemed so wrong right now when she needed to encourage Max to share these things with her. “I’m sorry, please… continue.”

“I also have nightmares about that room. This sounds so wrong, but I’m glad Kate doesn’t remember a thing that happened! I do and… There are times where my photography class is too much. Flashbulbs sometimes bring me back to that place and it’s horrible!

“Chloe… I’m scared too. Scare of my memories. But most of all, scared of losing you again. That I’ll be so caught up in my own fears that I’ll miss the chance to be with you, to help you. I… I don’t want to be alone any more… but at the same time I think what I’ve gone through is too much for anyone.”

When it seemed Max was done, Chloe whispered, “Thanks for telling me that. It’s fucking hard to share some of that stuff and I’m glad you trust me with it.”

“I always trust you, Chloe.”

Chloe squeezed Max's hand and they fell into a companionable silence. Max closed her eyes and immersed herself in the sounds of nature.

“I… never thought of you replacing her.” Chloe’s soft words stirred the heavy air. Max stayed silent.

“She never replaced you. But I kind of get why you’d think that way. And you’re right… there is a thing between us. I didn’t want to touch it or push it because… because it always seemed too soon.”

When Chloe didn’t continue, Max opened her eyes. Above them, trees speared the sky. A puffy white cloud played at one edge of the opening. “What do you mean too soon?”

Their fingers disentangled, then Chloe turned onto her side and propped her head on her hand. She let her eyes wander down her friend’s body, then returned to focus on her face. Max was quite relaxed, her mouth turned in a small smile. That made a similar smile form on her face.

“The episode you had a few minutes ago… That’s not the first time it’s happened, even though you haven’t told me about the others. Your friends at school have though. Even that bitch Victoria texted me about one of your episodes. I don’t know how she got my number, but she did and let me know what happened.”

Now Max’s face was turning into a frown. Chloe wanted to reach over and smooth out the lines and bring back the happy light in her eyes.

“What did Victoria say about me?”

“Just that a guy got too close to you in the hall and you started screaming and shoving to get away. Why don’t you tell me these things?”

Max sighed and closed her eyes. She knew the moment Chloe referred to. “Because I don’t want to burden you,” she finally whispered. “You’re dealing with your own grief. I don’t want to add mine to yours.”

“Maybe I want you to. Do I get a say in what I accept and take on?”

Max bit her tongue, then opened her eyes. “Yes… of course you do!”

“Well then?”

Max turned on her side to face her friend. Blue hair was stuck to her forehead and cheeks. Her fingers ached to reach across and fix it. “Will you let me do the same for you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Chloe, you keep your feelings and grief over Rachel bottled up. I know you go out at night to the junkyard. Back to the place you two had. Will you let me be a part of that, of your grief?”

Chloe eyes darted between Max's eyes. Her feelings were private, but that hadn’t always been true for the two of them. Her fingers longed to trace the freckles on Max's face. Feelings were stirring in her now and she didn’t want to face them. Not yet. She sat up and said, “Let’s do the zip line.”

Without waiting for an answer, Chloe stood and waded through the water. Once on shore she climbed the cliff trail again. Behind she heard scuffs and mutters that let her know Max was following.

Why did Chloe have to be so stubborn with her feelings? _Trust, Max. She’s been hurt too many times, including by you. Trust needs rebuilt._ _You’ve opened the door, all she needs is a little patience and encouragement. _The steep trail made it easy to keep her eyes off her friend. When she reached the top, a little out of breath, Chloe was already at the zip line, handle in hand.

The zip line was a cable stretched across the ravine, with a pulley system and handle attached to it. Another thin cable attached to the handle provided a way to retrieve it after use. The main cable was attached to a tree much higher than the other side.

Chloe had her hands on the handle, looking at her with a big grin. “See you in the water, slow poke,” she said, then kicked off. She zipped over shrubs and short trees to the ravine mouth. Her shouts and cries reverberated through the forest. With a final yell, she let go. Her yells echoed in the ravine until, moments later, Max heard a loud splash as she hit the water.

Max cautiously walked to the suspended cable. She grabbed the loose line and pulled. She had never done the zip line when they came here as kids, and she had no intention of doing it now. By the time Chloe made it back to the top of the cliff, she had the handle waiting.

“Your turn, hippy,” Chloe said as she approached, a playful grin on her face.

“No way am I going on that thing! It’s dangerous.”

“Oh, loosen up and live a little!”

“I am living. Watching you enjoy it is enough.”

“Don’t you wish for something more, more exciting?”

Max didn’t answer. She held out the handle which Chloe reluctantly took. A moment later she was flying through the air, her whoops and laughs no longer sounding. She dropped into the water and let the rush of the current push her downstream.

When she made her way from the deep water, Max was on the shore, waiting for her on the stone shelf. She wore a glum expression. “Done already,” Chloe asked as she splashed through the water.

Max shook her head. “No… just… I wanted this day to turn out different.”

Chloe sat cross-legged next to her, eyes staring at the forest across the river. “How did you want it to turn out?”

Max fiddled with her fingers in her lap. They wanted the hem of her hoodie, or the seam of her jeans to play with. Flicking each other wasn’t the same.

When she didn’t answer, Chloe lay back and stared at the sky. Right now she wanted a smoke, but decided to put it off. It was too much effort and she wanted to put that energy into something a little more meaningful. “The way I see it,” she said, “You and I have the same problem. We both have something we should share with each other, but we don’t.”

The blanket shuffled as Max leaned back. “So, let’s cut the bullshit and get to it,” Chloe continued. “I’m scared to start something with you, if it doesn’t last. I’m hurt because Rachel is gone. Her not being honest with me… well I’ll never see her again to know what that was about. What about you?”

Max chewed her lip, one hand under her head and the other plucking the blanket next to her. “I… I’m scared of losing you. I lost you five years ago, then many times recently. I’m afraid that if you knew the truth about the dark room that… it would be too much and you wouldn’t want me.”

Silence descended upon them, and nothing else. “Why’d you wear that outfit today?”

Max debated speaking the truth. It would reveal one of her insecurities. “I thought… if I dressed a little more like Rachel… it would help.”

“Help how,” Chloe asked as she turned on her side.

“Help you… see me. It’s wrong and shallow of me, I know, but I feel like I’m competing with her. The two of us are different, but I can’t help but feel blah and ordinary against the picture you paint of her.

“But more than that… I thought if I dressed like her, it might bring you some happiness. Maybe a little reminder of the good times you had with her.”

“Is that also why you brought all the contraband?”

Max nodded.

“Thanks. That’s pretty awesome of you! I don’t need any of that to remind me of the good times. And I don’t need you pretending to be someone you aren’t. I want you to be you.”

_Here it is, Max! Tell her what you want to happen! Open up to her and tell her how you feel._

With a lopsided grin, Max said, “feel like another swim?”

_Bah! Back to being chickenshit!_

Chloe studied her a few moments, before sitting up. “Sure. Last one in’s a rotten egg!”

Before Max could even sit up, Chloe was in the water, splashing toward the deeper part of the river. With a growl, her resolve slipped and she froze time. In the time freeze, the water was almost solid, letting her walk on it. She pushed herself to be in front of Chloe, then returned to the normal flow of time.

Max plunged into the water in front of her and Chloe stopped with a cry. “Hey! No fair! This is a power-free zone!” With a growl she lunged at her friend who spun and danced out of her way.

Round and round they went went, splashing and screaming with laughter. Each time Chloe was about to lay her hand on Max, her friend would kick away, then splash her with water.

With a final growl, Chloe took a deep breath and plunged under the surface.

The laughter died on Max’s face. She was treading water and looked around for Chloe. No blue hair greeted her eyes. “Chloe,” she called out nervously. “Where are you.”

“Right behind you,” came her voice and then arms wrapped around Max. She screamed, at first with fright, then with laughter as she turned around in Chloe’s arms.

Chloe looked down at her. “It seems I caught the otter in my water,” she growled softly.

The way Chloe looked at her stole Max's breath and strength. Her legs went still and she found herself leaning on Chloe’s arms. Chloe used that to draw her close, so close their bodies pressed together.

Despite being in the water, Max was very aware of every place her body touched Chloe’s. She was suddenly hot, and the water couldn’t cool her off. She looked at Chloe, drawn into her eyes and the smile on her face.

Chloe was the one that leaned down and started the kiss. This wasn’t like the quick kiss that surprised them. A kiss based upon a dare. This one was completely different, made by two people who had wanted it for a long time.

Max’s slipped her arms around Chloe, holding tight to her. Fingers climbed up her back. The flutter in her core joined with the heat she already felt and suddenly everything went still.

All the angst, anxiety, and uncertainty she’d felt the past few weeks bled away. They were replaced by softer feelings, ones with graceful curves and tender gazes. Chloe was her everything, always had been and now she was pouring all that into her kiss.

Chloe wondered why she’d held back, why she’d been scared. Yes, Max had hurt her before, but that was in the past. Mistakes made by immature girls. That was nothing like the woman she held her in her arms, the Goddess of Time that wanted her.

The kiss she gave Max was not a spur of the moment one. Rather it had built over days and weeks. Assembled through stolen glances, chance contact of skin, innuendo, and private smiles. All that she gave to Max. She’d pour her life into the kiss if that could help Max know what she meant to her, how she felt about her.

Heat rose off both of them and it was a miracle the river didn’t boil away.

When they finally broke the kiss, it was into shy smiles and playful looks. They went for another round, hands slipping into hair and other places. They couldn’t get enough of each other as they accepted the truth: they’d been in love with each other for years.

Max hooked her legs around Chloe’s waist, letting the water buoy her so she could get closer. There was an urgency to her, a need to fill, a need to give. And bodies were getting in the way. She wanted to be close to Chloe, close in a way that seemed impossible.

Chloe waded through the river, her pace slow and measured. As the water became shallower, Max got heavier. She strained to hold her close, to keep her tangled around her body. At last she reached the shelf of rock where their blanket was and she set Max upon it.

Max gazed down at the blue haired beauty standing between her knees. Her hand cupped Chloe’s cheek, who raised her face for another kiss. When they broke apart, Chloe smiled up at her and the world froze.

“Earlier,” Chloe whispered, “you said you wanted me with you when you leave Arcadia Bay.” She looked away, trying to control the emotions welling inside her. “Did you mean that?”

Gentle pressure on her chin made Chloe look up. Max looked at her in a way that she hadn’t been looked at in a long time. Not since the earlier days between she and Rachel. _Max left once. She can leave again. Rachel left without a word._ She kicked herself mentally. _Rachel didn’t have a choice._

“Yes, I did,” Max whispered. “I’ve been in the world beyond Arcadia Bay. It’s a world that needs Chloe Price to make sense of it. I… I need my Captain. Will you come with me?”

Chloe slipped her arms around Max’s waist and pulled her close. As their mouths came together, she said, “Yes.”


End file.
